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Nourishing Together
The Sutra on the Four Kinds of Nutriments clarifies how to receive food and everything in life through the lens of the Four Noble Truths, especially the second truth—the origin of suffering arising from unmindful consumption. The sutra tells the story of a couple forced to kill and eat their own child in order to survive, eating while beating their chests and weeping, as a reminder to contemplate the circumstances and origins of our food so that we do not fall into the cycle of suffering. When we truly understand the degree of suffering contained in each bite of food—from beef, chicken, to alcohol—we begin to cultivate compassion and avoid ingesting the toxins of hatred into our consciousness. Every day, up to 40,000 children die from hunger and malnutrition, which means that every piece of meat or glass of alcohol we consume also equates to consuming quantities of grain that could have nourished those children.
Besides edible food, the sutra also points out three other kinds of nutriments that feed suffering and attachment, including:
- edible food (food taken in through the mouth)
- sense impressions (feelings)
- volition (intentions)
- consciousness (collective consciousness)
Contemplating these four kinds of nutriments helps us cut through craving for the five sensual pleasures and attain right understanding—a clear insight into the true nature of food. Eating mindfully not only nourishes the body but also preserves our compassion, helps us break free from the cycle of samsāra and suffering, and allows us to live peacefully with each breath and each bite.